Business Common Sense Planning

Emergencies do not just effect individuals, they effect business to.  How quickly your company can get back to business after an interruption caused by a terrorist attack, the threat of an attack, or a natural disaster depends on the emergency planning that you do today.  Small businesses account for 99% of all companies with employees, employ 50% of all private sector workers, and provide nearly 45% of our nation's payroll.  Our nation's economy depends on the survivability of small businesses.  The Ready Business Campaign provides a common sense business planning for all types and sizes of companies. 

Risk assessments should be conducted to determine what risks your business faces, both natural and man-made.  There are many different resource venues that can provide lessons learned from other businesses, best practices, industry standards and solutions, information sharing, networking, and lobbying.  Businesses can plan for the short term and long term phases of an emergency.  The short term focuses on emergency planning to mitigate the circumstances, while the long term focuses on the continuity of operations.  How could an emergency interrupt your daily operations? What internal or external factors could be affected? Consider how you will be able to serve your most important customers during an emergency.  It may be helpful to establish a list of key suppliers, shippers, resources, and other businesses you must interact with on a daily basis. 

Once you have established an emergency plan for your business it is important that it is communicated to your employees.  Be sure to consider all of your employees as some of them may have special needs.  You may also want to encourage employees to become certified in CPR or consider forming a business CERT team.  Practice the drafted plan with your employees and encourage them to become prepared at home as well.  For a suggested list of emergency supplies please visit our preparedness page.  Make sure that you have any important records such as site maps, building plans, insurance policies, employee contact and identification information, bank account records, customer lists, supplier and shipping contact lists, etc.  You business should also have an evacuation plan that is clearly communicated and designates procedures for shutting down critical operations and securing the facility if possible.  For more information on business planning please view our presentation and visit the following websites.  

DHS Links for Businesses  




                                               


Visit the ASSE website for a realm of information on organizational safety, health, and enironmental resources.